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A review by lizmart88
Arabian Jazz by Diana Abu-Jaber
2.0
I was a big fan of Crescent, but I did not love this book nearly as much. This definitely felt like a first novel, and I think Abu-Jaber's later novels are vastly improved.
Overall, the themes were excellent, and similar to her later novels. It is an exploration of what it means to be "half" - in this case half Arab and half white; and what it means to live in between cultures. I enjoyed the role reversal of the younger sister being more dominant, and the older sister being the daydreaming, flighty one. All of the characters were eccentric, and I felt like I should relate to them - but I just couldn't get invested in their lives.
Some of the characters felt a little too far-fetched. It felt a little unbelievable that Jem would even consider running away with Gil Sesame. And the Otts family felt too stereotypical of a family entrenched in poverty.
In summary: read Crescent and her later novels!
Overall, the themes were excellent, and similar to her later novels. It is an exploration of what it means to be "half" - in this case half Arab and half white; and what it means to live in between cultures. I enjoyed the role reversal of the younger sister being more dominant, and the older sister being the daydreaming, flighty one. All of the characters were eccentric, and I felt like I should relate to them - but I just couldn't get invested in their lives.
Some of the characters felt a little too far-fetched. It felt a little unbelievable that Jem would even consider running away with Gil Sesame. And the Otts family felt too stereotypical of a family entrenched in poverty.
In summary: read Crescent and her later novels!